We are delighted to announce that Filipe Engin Neves Çelikkaya will once again bring his expertise to the club as a head coach with significant experience in developing young players. The 41-year-old professional, who holds a UEFA Pro Licence, arrives in Hungary from MLS.

Filipe Çelikkaya was born on 19 January 1985 in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. He began his career in scouting in 2007 as a talent scout for Belenenses. His coaching career started two years later, when he took charge of Almada’s U17 team. He then continued his work within Benfica’s academy system before moving to the Middle East, where he worked as an assistant coach at Al-Ahli SC (Qatar).

He received his first head coaching opportunity in 2014 at Almada AC, and the following season he joined Sporting CP’s U19 team as an assistant coach. Later, he was part of the coaching staff at GD Chaves, Vitória Guimarães SC, and alongside Luís Castro at Shakhtar Donetsk, where he celebrated a league title with the team during the 2019/20 season.

After that, he managed Sporting B and the club’s U19 side competing in the UEFA Youth League. Çelikkaya’s young players reached the semi-finals of the competition, where they were eliminated after a penalty shootout. During his time at Sporting, he contributed to the development of players such as Mateus Fernandes (West Ham United), Renato Veiga (Villarreal CF), and Dário Essugo, a three-time Portuguese champion who won the FIFA Club World Cup with Chelsea.

The Portuguese coach began the 2025 calendar year in the United States as an assistant coach at Chicago Fire FC, where the club achieved one of its best results since its foundation in 2009.

“We are delighted to welcome Filipe Çelikkaya to our club, a professional who arrives with an extremely rich and diverse background. His experience gained in some of the most competitive environments in European and American football demonstrates his professional preparation, adaptability, and winning mentality.

His appointment represents a conscious and strategic step in ZTE FC’s long-term project. Filipe’s professional philosophy perfectly aligns with the playing identity and club culture that we began building during the previous season.

His approach and experience are extremely important aspects of our club identity. On one hand, he brings methods and professional standards acquired at elite clubs operating with high expectations; on the other hand, he has extensive experience in developing young players and building talent.

We are excited to begin working together and believe that Filipe’s knowledge, experience, and vision will further strengthen ZTE FC’s development process,” said Andrés Jornet, the club’s president responsible for sporting matters, regarding the appointment of our new head coach.

With Filipe Çelikkaya taking charge, our team welcomes a head coach who, just as in his own career, considers the development of the players entrusted to him to be a top priority. Throughout his professional journey, he has continuously progressed, taking on increasingly challenging roles while gaining valuable experience in developing young talents. This philosophy and experience are key elements of our club identity.

WELCOME TO ZTE FC, MR. ÇELIKKAYA!